A GAF roof coating warranty is a manufacturer's guarantee on a GAF liquid-applied roof system: the coating, the primers, the fabric and the sealants installed together. GAF says its liquid-applied systems are eligible for limited guarantees of 10 to 20 years, depending on the system chosen and the certification level of the contractor who installs it.
We are a GAF CoatingsPRO+ contractor. That is the certification level GAF requires before a contractor can issue its strongest coating guarantee, the Diamond Pledge No Dollar Limit (NDL) Roof Guarantee. Its term on our coating systems runs 10 to 20 years, and the thickness of the coating decides which.
GAF's Three Levels of Coating Coverage
GAF publishes a comparison of its coating warranties. The rows that matter most to a building owner:
| Material-only limited warranty | Liquid-Applied Emerald Pledge | Diamond Pledge NDL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can offer it | Any contractor | GAF CoatingsPRO and CoatingsPRO+ contractors | GAF CoatingsPRO+ contractors only |
| Material defects | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Workmanship | No | No | Yes |
| Covers the entire GAF system | No | Yes | Yes |
| Labor to fix a covered leak | No | Yes | Yes |
| No dollar limit on covered repairs | No | No | Yes |
| Replacement material | Prorated by use | 100% | 100% |
| Maximum term | Varies by material and rate | Up to 20 years | Up to 20 years |
| Transferable to the next owner | No | Once | Yes |
Source: GAF's commercial guarantee comparison for liquid-applied coatings. For complete coverage and restrictions, the full guarantee document governs.
The row that separates them is workmanship. A material-only warranty covers the product in the bucket, not how it was applied, and many coating problems come from application, not from the coating. Only the Diamond Pledge NDL covers workmanship in applying the materials, and GAF limits who can issue it.
How the GAF Roof Coating Warranty Term Is Set
A coating warranty term is not a sales promise. It's a specification. GAF's systems are specified for 10, 15 or 20-year terms, and each step requires more coating on the roof, measured in gallons per square and checked as wet thickness while the crew works.
- GAF silicone systems over metal and asphaltic roofs: 10, 15 or 20 years.
- GAF acrylic base and top coat over asphaltic roofs: 10 or 15 years.
- GAF Premium Acrylic HydroStop on metal roofs: 10, 15 or 20 years.
So a quote priced at the 10-year rate doesn't become a 20-year warranty because the proposal says "20 years." Our proposals state the coating system, the application rate, the resulting thickness and the warranty term, so you can check them.
Our Workmanship Warranty, on Top
Separately from GAF's guarantee, we give our own 10-year workmanship warranty on every coating installation. The two documents do different jobs: GAF's guarantee stands behind the system, and ours stands behind how we put it on. You see both before you sign.
What GAF Requires Before It Issues a Guarantee
- A qualified roof. Clean, dry and tight, per GAF's restoration steps.
- A moisture scan to find wet areas, which are replaced with like material before coating.
- Adhesion testing to confirm the coating bonds to your roof surface. With us it's a one-time $1,500 cost.
- Installation to GAF's specification, including seam, fastener and penetration details and the application rate for the term.
- Registration. GAF requires all of its commercial warranties and guarantees to be registered under its registration requirements.
Keeping the Warranty in Force
The Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association recommends inspecting a coated roof twice a year and after major storms or high-wind events, and repairing any damage to the coating promptly. Warranty programs can have their own maintenance requirements, so read the certificate. Three habits protect a coated roof:
- Get damage from foot traffic or rooftop work repaired promptly
- Have any new penetration detailed into the coating system, not just cut through it
- Fix drainage problems instead of living with them
Coating warranties also commonly exclude leaks caused by deterioration of the original roof under the coating, which is one more reason the moisture survey and repairs come first. See roof coating vs. replacement.
Questions to Ask Any Coating Contractor
- Which GAF certification level do you hold: CoatingsPRO or CoatingsPRO+?
- Which of the three warranty levels am I getting?
- Which application rate and thickness is the quote priced at, and what term does that give?
- Will you do a moisture scan and adhesion tests before the job?
- What is your own workmanship warranty, separate from GAF's?
Sources: GAF commercial guarantees · GAF roof coatings · Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association FAQs.
GAF Coating Warranty FAQ
GAF says its liquid-applied roofing systems are eligible for limited guarantees of 10 to 20 years, depending on the system and the contractor's certification level. On a given system, the term is set by how much coating is applied: GAF's specifications set separate application rates for 10, 15 and 20-year terms.
It is GAF's strongest coating guarantee. According to GAF's comparison, it covers the entire GAF roof system, material defects and workmanship, labor to correct covered leaks, and covered repairs with no dollar limit, for up to 20 years. Only GAF CoatingsPRO+ contractors can issue it.
Only the Diamond Pledge NDL guarantee does. GAF's material-only warranty and its Liquid-Applied Emerald Pledge warranty do not cover workmanship. Separately, we give our own 10-year workmanship warranty on every coating installation.
According to GAF's comparison, the Diamond Pledge NDL guarantee is transferable to the next owner, the Liquid-Applied Emerald Pledge is transferable once, and the material-only warranty is not transferable. The guarantee document sets the conditions.
CoatingsPRO and CoatingsPRO+ are GAF's certification programs for liquid-applied roofing contractors. CoatingsPRO+ is the level GAF requires before a contractor can issue the Diamond Pledge NDL guarantee on a coating system. We are a GAF CoatingsPRO+ contractor.
Want to see which GAF warranty your roof qualifies for? Call (832) 224-3435 or request a free roof survey.